Six Attributes of Game-Changing Managers

Have you ever been part of a work environment that lacked effective management? It’s chaos! Employees–good, bad, and everything in between–scramble around without direction, balls get dropped, blame gets shifted, and goals are rarely ever reached. In the end, everyone loses.

Are You A Game-Changing Manager?

Whether you work at a large company or a small start-up, you and your colleagues are a team, and every team needs a game-changing coach if they’re going to be effective.

On the field and in the boardroom, coaches–or managers as they’re known in the workplace–are integral to the success of the team. Great coaches tap into their team members’ strengths, orchestrate strategies based on those strengths, and even pull individuals out when they aren’t performing up to par. Just as in sports, company managers are veterans in their field; they know what it’s like to be out in the field as a team player, and that’s why they now have the potential to be a game-changing manager.

But the question is, do you? See for yourself!

Attributes of Game-Changing Managers

Hands-on Coaching

Coaches, managers, and even parents know that a little one-on-one time with a team (or family) member does a world of good for their productivity. Effective coaches take note of each individual’s contribution to the team–or lack thereof– and sets apart time to discuss these items and other expectations with each and every team member. This one-on-one time allows coaches to see each individual’s strengths, and allows them to better implement the next attribute…

Strategy Building

Game-changing managers are strategists at heart. Their ability to see the big picture and how every individual, task and project plays into accomplishing their ultimate goal is what sets them apart from the rest. Effective managers revisit their strategies on a regular basis, and take into consideration the opinions, input and strengths of the larger team.

Team Building

Every team has their MVP (Most Valuable Player), but that doesn’t mean that the rest of the team is ignored. On the contrary. A great coach is able to spot and leverage every member’s strengths, and play them off of one another.

Eliminate Weaknesses

Game-changing managers are able to recognize when a team member needs to be pulled off a project and temporarily replaced in order to hit the group’s goals. This isn’t to say that the team member who was pulled out is a bad team player, it just means that they need to rest or be reassigned to an area where they’ll be more effective.

Training

Practice makes perfect! Game-changing managers provide their team with ample opportunity to grow and practice new strengths and strategies. Whether managers hire third-party trainers or implement regular training sessions themselves, they’re ensuring that their team maintains a competitive edge.

Team Recognition

A coach cannot win a game without a team. The same goes for managers. Every manager needs their team just as much as every team needs their manager. A game-changing manager is able to recognize their team for all of their efforts, and even better, celebrate their wins! This builds morale and helps individuals recognize their efforts as part of a larger, more productive picture.

Be A Game-Changer

Whether you’re a team member, a manager, or even an owner, it’s important that you recognize and adopt these game-changing attributes if you want to experience more wins and hit your overall goals.

Did we miss any major game-changing attributes? Share your list with us in the comment section below, or tweet them @ELLAInstitute and @NewLatina!

Tanisha is the Managing Editor at NEW LATINA, and a social commentary and pop-culture writer/blogger from New York City. She studied Sociology and Women's Studies at Bowdoin College, where she developed a strong interest women's issues and community advocacy. Tanisha has written for the Bowdoin Orient and has interned at BUST Magazine and Jezebel.com.